


A Maternal Eye

by Leni



Category: Black Jewels - Anne Bishop
Genre: Behind the Scenes, Gen, queen of darkness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-05
Updated: 2014-09-05
Packaged: 2018-02-16 04:45:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2256357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/pseuds/Leni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set during <span class="u">Queen of Darkness</span>. What happens while Della stays among the Arcerian cats.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Maternal Eye

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tigriswolf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigriswolf/gifts).



After so many weeks with a human female child sharing their den, KaeAskavi's dam still felt puzzled at her presence. It was not the smell that bothered her anymore, the panic-stinged scent the girl had carried at her arrival had been dealt with after a thorough laving, and by now there were only spikes of fear in her sleep that melted away when KaeAskavi lay down beside her and purred a wordless promise to protect her.

 _That_ puzzled her the most.

Until she had met Kaelas, she'd never imagined that Arcerian cats could have any use for humans. Even as prey there were better alternatives. But both her mate and her kitten insisted to give their loyalty and affection to the two-legged creatures, and though the Lady was a worthy exception - everyone knew that she was truly more cat than woman - she saw no gain in trusting the others.

This... Della... was nothing like the Lady. She wasn't even Blood. She'd had no idea of how to _talk_ to the kindred (though, she admitted, the girl hadn't talked to anybody except KaeAskavi for the first few weeks).

Now, as her kitten's purrs filled the den, she gazed again at the pair.

The girl's blue eyes were wide open, and she turned very still when she became aware of the notice of an adult Arcerian cat.

At least the little human was sensible.

But this time Della didn't flinch or hide her face into KaeAskavi's coat. Turning her head a little in her direction, the girl stared back, as curious and careful as kittens when they discovered a live snake in the spring.

Then she did the thing that the Lady always did when she visited. Her face contorted, the muscles of her cheeks pulling up and dragging the mouth along, exposing a flash of useless blunt teeth. 

A smile, Kaelas had explained.

It was a sign of fondness among humans.

The resulting expression did add a certain charm to the pale face, she supposed. But someone should explain to the humans that showing one's fangs to those bigger and stronger was not in their best interests.

Smothering the urge to return the gesture - as fangs and claws seemed to make the little girl uncomfortable - KaeAskavi's dam huffed and lowered her head on top of her front paws, still holding that blue gaze. Her whiskers twitched when the girl's arms reached around her kitten's neck, but the instinct not to allow any touch to her kitten that was not hers was a whisper now.

She'd allowed Kaelas around their kitten. In comparison, allowing a human child to share KaeAskavi's sleeping spot was easy.

KaeAskavi shifted around until his face laid on the girl's chest.

Della giggled when the fur tickled her neck, and moved her hand down to caress between KaeAskavi's ears. The girl gave her one last inquisitive look, and she understood she was being asked for permission. Curious herself, she used the signal she'd seen exchanged between the Lady's Consort and her Eyrien brother when they approved of each other: she bobbed her head up and down a few times.

It worked.

Della's teeth flashed white again, this time showing more and for a longer time.

Then she curled herself around KaeAskavi and, holding him tight, made a noise in the back of her throat.

As a purr, it was awful, but the attempt softened the female's heart.

The little human was trying to make a connection, and she couldn't find fault in such an endeavor. It meant that Della was an acceptable companion for her kitten, and she could rest easier at the idea of having the girl-child in their den. 

Perhaps even, as Kaelas and the Lady had done, this pair would also grow to be as close as siblings.

KaeAskavi's dam mused over that thought and, after some careful consideration, she decided it was a good thought.

 

The End  
04/09/14

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Tigriswolf at Comment Fic. **Prompt:** [ Della & KaeAskavi, siblings of the soul don’t have to be the same species.](http://comment-fic.livejournal.com/553737.html?thread=78058761#t78058761)


End file.
